What does it take to go from sleeping in your car at 14 years old to leading one of the most respected organizations in North America?
For Julian Scadden, it started with one realization: the people creating opportunity weren't necessarily smarter—they simply knew how to connect with others.
In this episode of Cleared For Takeoff, Charles Eide sits down with the President & CEO of Nexstar Network for one of the most personal conversations Julian has ever shared publicly.
He opens up about growing up in a difficult environment, dropping out of high school, living out of his car, reconnecting with his father after years apart, and how mentors helped reshape his future.
Julian also shares why conversations are the foundation of leadership, why work ethic is often misunderstood, and the surprisingly simple advice that changed his career forever.
The conversation culminates with an inside look at one of the biggest decisions of Julian's career—leading Nexstar through the difficult choice to sunset private equity-backed memberships in order to protect the organization's mission, culture, and long-term future.
Whether you're a business owner, leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone trying to navigate life's next chapter, this episode is filled with wisdom that will stay with you long after it ends.
In this episode you'll learn:
- Why communication—not talent—is often the greatest predictor of success.
- How Julian went from an introverted teenager to leading thousands of business owners.
- The powerful story of becoming homeless at 14 and rebuilding his life.
- The mentors and conversations that changed everything.
- Why "The conversation is the relationship."
- The "Straight Eight" philosophy that transformed Julian's career.
- Why passion doesn't always come before success—and why that's okay.
- The massive opportunity within the skilled trades today.
- What leaders get wrong about work-life balance and employee expectations.
- How Nexstar made the difficult decision to prioritize mission over rapid growth by walking away from private equity-backed companies.
- The difference between growing a business and building one that can truly scale.
- Why the hardest leadership decisions are often the ones that define your legacy.
Meet Julian:
Julian Scadden is the President & CEO of Nexstar Network, a member-owned organization dedicated to helping independent plumbing, HVAC, and electrical businesses become stronger leaders and more successful companies.
After overcoming an incredibly challenging upbringing—including dropping out of high school and experiencing homelessness as a teenager—Julian built a career rooted in resilience, communication, and servant leadership. Beginning as a laborer in the skilled trades, he steadily advanced through leadership roles before joining Nexstar, where he has helped guide one of the industry's most influential organizations.
Known for his authentic leadership style and unwavering commitment to mission over short-term gain, Julian is passionate about developing leaders, strengthening independent businesses, and elevating the skilled trades as one of today's greatest career opportunities.
Today, he leads Nexstar with a focus on helping great tradespeople become exceptional business leaders while preserving the culture, trust, and values that have defined the organization for decades.
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